


SOS

by CaffeineAddict94



Category: Daria (Cartoon)
Genre: M/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-22
Updated: 2016-09-22
Packaged: 2018-08-16 17:16:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8110795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaffeineAddict94/pseuds/CaffeineAddict94
Summary: A night out.





	

**SOS**

McGrundy's was the last place that Jake Morgendorffer expected to find himself on a Friday night but he'd lost control of his life a long time ago. He grimaced as he sipped his martini, wondering if this was what rock bottom looked like. Judging by the outdated 'Irish' themed decor and the rowdy college kids clustered around doing shots, he was betting it was pretty damn close. He stood out like a sore thumb thanks to the fact that he was forty-eight years old and dressed in a business suit, attracting more than a few sidelong glances from the bartenders and patrons alike. He didn't particularly care about what they thought of him, knowing that he was beyond humiliation at this point. He'd dealt with his fair share of embarrassing situations in his life and it would take much more than a few whispers to bruise his ego. He didn't bat an eye as another drink was placed in front of him, barely registering that he'd polished off his glass in record time. He would've been enjoying a drink in the comfort of his own home, settled into his La-Z-Boy while he watched the game, if not for the fact that Helen had kicked him out. The arguments were increasing in frequency, not a day going by where they didn't butt heads. He found himself wishing that the girls were still around, if only so they'd have a reason to keep pretending. The marriage may have been wavering but they'd stubbornly deal with anything for the girls' sake. With the two of them off at their respective universities, there was nothing left to hold onto. Divorce was looming overhead like a dark cloud and he gladly welcomed the storm. What was his life if not one failure after the next?

"As much as I'd love to hear about your wonderful drink options, I'm going to take a whiskey".

The gruff voice was wholly familiar and Jake found himself craning his head, finally taking notice of the man seated next to him. It was the girls' old history teacher, Mr. DeMartino. He wracked his brain, trying to think of his first name. Was it Andrew? Aaron?

"Anthony".

At the sound of his name, he turned slightly, eyeing him with that steady and unwavering gaze that so often struck fear into the hearts of his students. Jake would've been lying if he said it didn't make him nervous too, something about the look in his eyes letting everyone know that he'd seen hell and lived to tell the tale. He didn't say anything at first, taking a few seconds to exam his glass before he took a swig.

"Ah, Jake Morgendorffer, what a surprise. What sad state of affairs has you frequenting such a lackluster establishment?"

Jake wasn't sure if he was more surprised that he remembered him or that he was speaking at a normal volume. Every time he'd seen the man, he was red-faced and screaming. He was starting to wonder if he even had a regular speaking voice. He still had that haggard look of someone that had been through the ringer but it wasn't nearly as harsh as usual. He wasn't sure how much of that had to do with being outside of the classroom and how much was thanks to the rather dim lighting.

"Oh, you know, life".

He drummed his fingers against the edge of the counter in a feeble attempt to distract himself, wasting no time in knocking back the rest of his martini. Anthony let out a brief chuckle and it was clear that he was laughing [i]with[/i] him, not at him.

"As someone once so eloquently stated: 'life sucks and then you die'", he laughed again before taking another swig of his drink, "I might be able to retire before I'm dead...that's if Li doesn't decide to leech my corpse too".

"At least the bloodsucker doesn't live with you".

The comment escaped his lips before he even had time to think and he nearly clamped a hand over his mouth. It wasn't the first time that he'd said what he was thinking, never really learning how to filter himself. He didn't know how to handle a lot of his problems so he vented his frustrations for any and all to hear. It wasn't the most tactful approach and he'd landed himself in hot water plenty of times but nobody could ever accuse him of being dishonest. Anthony quirked an eyebrow as another drink was placed in front of him.

"Just one of the many blissful joys of marriage. Sorry that I can't offer any consolation; I've been lucky to live my life completely unchained".

He'd never noticed before but there was the distinct absence of a wedding band on his finger. For some reason, he always assumed that he'd been married once before. A man like DeMartino seemed like he'd have his fair share of women, something about his overall demeanor suggesting that he was a hot commodity back in his youth. Either that wasn't the case or he had a huge fear of commitment.

"Never even thought about it?"

"Can't say that I have", he shrugged, an odd look crossing his face, "My mother wanted me to marry our neighbor's daughter. Of course, that was before the war".

"Drafted?"

"Enlisted. My father was a big supporter of our Uncle Sam and it was my duty to serve the country. Honorable discharge".

"The old man would've loved if I joined the military", Jake scoffed, " _Get a haircut, Jake. Stop this hippie shit. Do something useful with yourself_. I'd be damned if I became a soulless, tyrant like him".

He loosened his grip on his glass, realizing that he was holding it so tightly that his hand was shaking. He was working on getting a hold of his anger, the process aided by weekly therapy sessions. It was slow going but he was seeing some progress. If Anthony was offended by his scathing comment, he didn't say so. Jake pressed on once he was sure that he was calm enough to continue without breaking something.

"After Buxton Ridge, I swore that I'd never do it. I wasn't cut out for the service, really. Dad said I was 'soft' but I just couldn't make myself care enough. What was the point of it all? I spent so many Christmases stuck in the barracks and all it made me think about was how much nicer my own bed was".

"Oak Union", he said slowly, "The finest military academy in the midwest. Can't say that I didn't gain a thicker skin. I wouldn't wish it on my greatest enemies but I'm much better for it".

Jake wasn't sure if he was inclined to agree with that statement but he took it for what it was. He found that it was nice to speak with someone that understood where he was coming from. Helen certainly didn't get it and she didn't try very hard either. Daria and Quinn just saw it as him refusing to let go of the past and who could blame them? No kid wanted to listen to their parent lament over their lost youth and miserable childhood. He was left to shout into the void and the house certainly didn't offer him any words of encouragement.

"Maybe. What made you decide to become a teacher?"

There was a brief pause in which Anthony kept his gaze trained on his glass, dark eyebrows furrowing as he seemed to be mulling over the question.

"For the same foolish reasons as everyone else. I wanted to mold inquiring young minds, inspire them. I thought that I could change the world. Then the harsh light of reality came to burn a hole through my rose-colored glasses", he drained the rest of his glass, "I thought that I'd gained that spark back, a few summers ago. That didn't last long".

Jake nodded knowingly, completely understanding what it felt like to lose all passion for something, "I don't know why I fooled myself into thinking that I'd be a good consultant. Or a good anything. I barely scraped by in college".

"You raised two bright and gifted young women; that's much more than most can say".

He wanted to take the compliment but he could just hear Helen's voice in the back of his head, berating him for his cluelessness and lack of foresight.

"Oh no. That's _all_  my wife. If you believe what she says, it's a wonder that they even made it this far with me as a father".  
  
"It sounds like you need to cut the strings. There's no use holding on to a dying marriage".

He chuckled, "Or a dying career".

He was sure that Anthony would tear him apart for that one but he simply laughed.

"Well played".

"Enough feeling sorry for ourselves. Might as well enjoy the break before life comes to knock as down again".

At that exact moment, loud cheers erupted from the opposite end of the bar as another round of shots was placed in front of the group. The two of them shared a look before shaking their heads.

"I'll damn sure try".

* * *

The harsh light of the sun was enough to rouse Anthony "Tony" DeMartino from his fitful sleep, forcing him to abandon his ebbing dreams and get out of bed. It wasn't until he was removing himself from the tangle of sheets that he took notice of his slumbering bed-mate. He didn't react right away, part of his brain still working to process the fact that Jake was there. He couldn't remember the last time that he'd found himself in this predicament, knowing that it had to have been at least ten years ago. He was still too tired to do much of anything but leave the room, his mind squarely focused on a brewing himself a strong pot of coffee.

He padded into his small, modestly furnished kitchen and busied himself with setting up the coffee pot. He always swore to himself that he'd live his life alone and he'd been managing just fine for the past twenty odd years. He hadn't lied when he said that he'd never thought about marriage but it wasn't because he didn't have an interest in anyone. He always knew, even at a young age, that he wasn't quite like his brothers. They had crushes, girlfriends, a vested interest in the opposite sex. He didn't think much about it until he hit his teenage years. He had crushes, sure, but they definitely weren't girls. The first was Ben, a fellow member of the baseball team and close friend. He was ashamed, embarrassed, and he could just imagine the backlash that he would face from such a shocking admission. His father would disown him, if he didn't kill him first. There was no way that he could ever let anybody know. He had a difficult enough time even saying the word 'gay' to himself. He certainly didn't 'fit the bill' according to what everyone thought and he did everything in his power to keep it that way. He became the prototypical alpha-male and it certainly didn't hurt to maintain his distance from most everyone else. He didn't get too close, if he could help it, and he learned to prefer his own company. He knew what would happen if he befriended the wrong person. Still, he was only human and loneliness was crushing.

There had been a few instances, nothing more than brief trysts that never saw the light of day. He managed to live his life without revealing such an integral part of himself, which was a feat in and of itself. As he got older, he found that most people would assume and that took a lot of the work out of it for him. Lawndale was a tiny suburb and, as much as people liked to gossip, he managed to stay out of the limelight. He was an older man, a veteran, certainly not unattractive for his age. Everyone thought he was divorced and that suited him just fine. Nobody ever asked and he didn't have to explain. It was all fairly simple. Until now.

He sighed as he filled a mug with coffee. He took a long drink, thinking while the caffeine worked its way through his bloodstream. He didn't think much about Jake at first, having only spoken to him on one or two occasions. However, as they continued to talk at the bar, he quickly learned that Jake was repressing a lot more than his childhood. He never intended for anything to come of it. He was way past the age where casual sex held any appeal for him and yet here he was. He knew that he'd had a few too many and his judgment was clouded, at best. He wouldn't go so far as to say that he was regretful but he was definitely put in a tough spot. Jake may have been in a dead-end marriage but he was still married and he was sure that his wife wouldn't appreciate cheating, regardless of the situation. Not to mention the fact that in her mind, by all intents and purposes, Jake was straight.

"Just what my life was missing: a dash of soap-operesque melodrama".


End file.
